Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-12-07


children |"
May was in the street, running here
and there, kicking at some bits OF
stone and now and then stopping to
dance, whirIing and twisting, jumping
like ballet dancer, while her father,
on the walk near her, was pushing the
baby carriage containing little Harry,
slowly, his eyes bent on the
evidently unmindful OF
what was passing around him. At
the sound of his wife's sharp voice he
lifted his head, and for the first time
saw Mays danger.
"Come here, May, this instant - he
called quickly. But May stopped for
a. moment only in her dancing, then
whirling on her foot cast q saucy, de-
faint glance at her father.
"May, do you hear me ~ he said
sternly. "Come over here!' And
dropping the handles of the baby CAR.
riage he started rapidly toward her.
May stood still for an instant, kick
ing the earth with her tiny shoes, then
started to obey.
At that moment there was g. rattle
of wheels, thequick tramp of a horses
foot, and before the child had passed
half the distance to the walk ahorse
attached to an empty, broken carriage
came rapidly around the corner not a
dozen rods from her. The whiff1etree
of the broken carriage dashed against
the horses heels at every Jump, and
half maddened with fright, he was
tearing down the street at furious
pace. To spring into the road and
catch May in his arms was the work
of an instant; but the horse was close
upon them, and with shout Richard
threw up his arms almost in it's face,
thinking it would naturally turn TO the
right, but, on the contrary, the ani-
NAL in it's mad terror swerved to the
left and struck Richard with full force.
In an instant the iron hoofs and heavy
vehicle had passed over his prostrate
body, and at the next bound the
wheels struck the baby carriage, leav-
ing it wrecked about the helpless little
form. 1t was all over in moment,
the frightened horse was dashing
madly down the street, and the three
bodies lay apparently lifeless n the
road.
So suddenly had it sill happened
that Clarice and Eva had stood as if
paralyzed with horror, then with g.
quick cry Eva vas out of the house
and down the steps. Reaching the
wrecked baby carriage she lifted her
child from amid the debris. There was q
cruel cash at the back of the head,
from which the blood was flowing
freely, while the fair hair, the sweet
face and dainty white garments were
stained with the crimson tide.
The beautiful blue eyes met hers in
a dull, CLASSY stare, there was quiv
er of the blue-veined lids, g quick gasp,
and a little form lay limp and hfeless
in her arms.
A crowd had rapidly collected and
Richard and May were carefully lifted
and borne into the house, while Eva,
like one bereft of her senses, silently
and mechanically followed, holding
the Efeless form of her baby pressed
closely to her breast.
In the middle of the pleasant parlor
she paused and looked with wild,
countenance from the
pallid, blood-stained face upon her
bre asst TO theunconscious forms Of her
husband and child upon the sofa.
Clarice came toward her, passed her
arm about her, and tried to lead her
to q seat. Slowly Eva turned toward
her; then as she seemed to recognize
the friendly sympathetic face, she
cried out IN tones of heart-rendering
agony: "Oh, CIarice, Clarice !! [ have
murdered them wished myselffree,
and God has taken me at my word !"
She staggered, threw out her hand
blindly and sank in q dead faint in
her friends arms.
Through all that long, sad night she
passed from one fainting fit to anoth-
er, tasking all the skill of the medicsl
attendants and the kind care OF her
friend
She would revive only long enough
to recall the terrible accident, then
with repetition of her first wild cry
az have murdered them "-would
relapse into another fainting fit, only
to repeat the same over and over, I'M
til at last, as the morning began to
dawn, worn out with the fearful strug-
gle, she slept the sleep ofutter exhaus-
ton.
When she awakened g. few hours la
ter her friends face greeted her open
ing eyes. At first she gazed around
in bewilderment. then as there came
back to her the scene of the previous
evening she turned her face to the
wall, and the first tears she had been
able to shed fell freely. Clarice pressed
her hand in tender sympathy, making
no effort to cheek her tears, thinking
wisely they were natures best relief for
the aching heart and over-ch &rged
brain.
After g. few moments the tears
ceased and Eva lay motionless with
closed eyes, only an occasional sob
shaking her light frame.
SOB. Clarice," she said at last, in
broken tones, 81 am most bitterly
punished. l wanted to be free, and
now they are all gonel l am utterly
alone! Oh, my God, how can bear
it ?''
''But May is not seriously hurt"
Cjarice FASTENED to explain, 'sshe was
Only bruised and stunned. Here she
is now,' as the mischievous cause Of
all the trouble, awed and quieted by